British architect Lord Norman Foster of Foster + Partners fame is tipped to design a City of Apple for the Mac maker, according to a new report.

Spanish newswire elEconomista.es claims Lord Foster has been in talks with Apple about the design of a major new headquarters dubbed 'City of Apple' for the company in Cupertino, California. Talks between the two have apparently been on-going for at least six months.

elEconomista.es suggests 'City of Apple' will be built using environmentally friendly building materials and employ renewable energy capabilities, while a network of underground roads and tunnels should maximise vegetation on the site.

In recent years, Apple has been keen to impress the company's green credentials, winning praise from Greenpeace and others for environmental policies.

Foster + Partners, the London-based architects are responsible for City Hall, London, Chep Lap Kok Airport, the Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank and the Bilbao Metro among an impressive range of high-profile buildings worldwide.

Last month it was revealed Apple had bought land once owned by HP, significantly expanding the size of its California base.

"We now occupy 57 buildings in Cupertino and our campus is bursting at the seams," Apple spokesman Steve Dowling said at the time. "These offices will give us more space for our employees as we continue to grow."